Page 75 of The Best Man Wins

“You’re right,” I say, monotone. “You’ll probably die here.”

“Man, shut it.” Ace turns on me, sneering. “You’re the reason I’m in here.”

“No. You did that to yourself.”

Ace finally paces away from the bars. He parks himself on the single bench, sitting on the opposite side of me. “So you’re Susie’s new catch?”

I say nothing. My jaw tightens.

“Whatever—give me the silent treatment. I can see it in your eyes, the way you look at her. I get it. She’s easy to love. But take it from someone who knows—she’ll never love anyone she loves more than those damn weddings of hers.” He stares off solemnly. “She’s probably forgotten all about us by now.”

“You, maybe.”

“She hasn’t. And she never will forget about me.” I can feel Ace’s eyes boring into me. “You’re forgetting that, once upon a time, Susie and I were engaged. And she loved me. Hard…passionate…love.”

The way he puts the emphasis on his words makes my fingers curl tightly around the bench until my knuckles go white. If he keeps this up, the sheriff is going to have to pry me off him again.

“Can you do that for her?” Ace continues to pester me. “Are you going to marry her? You’re forgetting Susie is from a generation that grew up with Barbie Doll’s Malibu Wedding. She’s been dreaming about this crap since she was six. Did she tell you about she used to have full wedding ceremonies for her dolls? Or how she used to sneak away to read romance novels at her aunt’s lake house?”

I confess, “We haven’t known each other very long.”

Ace chuckles lowly like a panther’s purr. “Let me guess—you’re not really the hand holding type? Am I right? You can’t remember how many women have gotten on their knees before you, but you could count on one hand how many you’ve taken to the theatres to see a romantic comedy. I’m right, aren’t I?”

I bite my tongue until I taste blood and say nothing.

Ace sighs. “Susie needs a Prince Charming. You’re nothing but a stable boy—a rough piece of rebound action to get her back on her feet. She’ll come crawling back to me soon enough.”

“No. She won’t.” I can’t take it anymore. I’m nearly vibrating with rage, but I know that if I give in and take a swing at him, I’ll only be confirming his theory that I’m nothing but damage and trash in a suit and tie.

Ace lifts his eyebrow at me. The corners of his mouth are curled upward, waiting for my response, like this is all some hilarious joke. It’s clear that he thinks he’s got his boot on my neck. “Why is that?”

“Because Susie deserves true love, not the fake lies you peddle her.”

Susie deserves it, and so do I.

“True love?” He throws the word back at me like it’s poisoned and laughs in my face. “Holy crap, you drank the Kool-Aid.”

“Ace?”

“What?”

“You think I’m nothing but a brute, don’t you?”

He squares his shoulders and scoffs. “Yeah. I do.”

“Then you don’t have to worry about your audition tomorrow, because if you so much as whisper Susie’s name again, I’ll pound your face in.”

It’s a lie, but it gets Ace to shut up. We don’t linger in silence for too long. The bells above the sheriff’s office jingle as someone steps inside. Barely a minute later, Colburn steps down the hall and barks, “You boys have got company!”

I turn my head up, and my cold heart skips a beat. Susie is a sight for sore eyes. Her lavender dress flows from her body, and she clutches her purse tightly between her hands. When she sees me, her eyes get wide and she rushes toward me. Immediately, I stand and meet her at the bars.

“How was it?” I ask, concern thick in my voice.

“It went off without a hitch,” Susie reassures me. She tilts her head in a shrug. “Well. All things considered.”

“Cora…?”

“She has no idea. She’s back at home packing for the honeymoon now. They’re going to this cabin upstate that overlooks Lake Lanier…it’s supposed to be beautiful this time of year.”

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